


Tulips

by Punk_Grape



Category: Splatoon
Genre: F/M, Medieval AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:34:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24386776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Punk_Grape/pseuds/Punk_Grape
Summary: A big decision lays ahead, family or love?
Kudos: 3





	Tulips

Bean stood before the king, very much afraid of what could possibly happen; best case scenario was he went home, in his mind. The throne room was emptied, only the two inhabited the room, Emperor sitting on his throne, and Bean refused to look him in the eye. “You are aware the time I gave your father has now run out, I will be taking the kingdom.” 

Growing up, Bean had been taught about the agreement made, when Sesame took his throne, he had a limited time to rule before Emperor took control. “I am aware, Sir. Please don’t expel my parents from the kingdom, they’ve done everything you requested, and have agreed to hand over the throne peacefully.” 

Emperor raised a brow, he made no mention of ridding the two from his kingdom. “I had no intention of expelling them, they’re perfectly fine to live where they are.” 

Bean’s shoulders fell, he interpreted that to mean they still weren’t exactly welcome back. “Thank you,” he managed, at least they could continue living at their castle. 

It wasn’t meant to be a long meeting, but when it concluded, Emperor called the teen back, his posture changing to be more relaxed. “There’s something else to talk about, though it’s more from a concerned father’s perspective.” 

Realization hit the teen, Emperor clearly knew about the kiss. “Your majesty, it’s really nothing, I wasn’t- we just- she-“ 

“I’m fully aware it was Truffle, believe it or not I’ve never intentionally blamed you for any trouble she got in. No, that is the past, I’m more interested in the future. Do you have any interest in courting her?” 

“What?” Bean squeaked. “Court her? I don’t want any trouble, just to be her friend.” 

Emperor sighed, and tried to lessen his intense look. “One day she will be courted, I’d rather it be the one I know and trust implicitly than an outsider.” The teen simply stared at him, not quite grasping what was being said. “While you may be a bit weaker than I’d like, I advise you seek her out before other suitors do.” 

“I- you mean I should-“ 

“Bean, just go do anything with her, you can tell her about this if you like. Please, leave, go bring her roses or something.” 

“Tulips,” Bean piped up as he turned to leave. “Favourite flower is tulips...”

Tulips, however, were not in season, and acquiring some would cost more than his allowance, so he settled on some seasonal flowers. The pollen made his eyes water slightly, having an allergy, albeit small, to flowers might make things difficult, had he not tracked the princess down to a classroom-esque room on the third floor. While she was technically in the middle of learning geography, the tutor welcomed the interruption, and left the teens alone. 

“Hey Truff,” Bean said, approaching her slowly, hands behind his back to hide the flowers. 

The girl looked him over, noticing the teary eyes, and she began to worry. “What’s wrong? Do you have to go home? Did my dad say something mean?” 

Bean shook his head, and brought the flowers forward. “Just allergies, I’m okay. I got you some flowers,” he explained. “Tulips aren’t in season but I tried my best, I hope they’re okay.” 

They were more than okay, the girl was smiling as she grabbed them. “I love them, thank you Beanie. What’s the occasion?” The moment he looked down, she knew he was trying to figure out how to word something. “Are you really okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah I’m okay,” he whispered, then went to sit on the desk Truffle had been using prior to his interruption, making sure to avoid spilling the ink bottle. “The meeting went well, I can do as I please, stay here or go home, my choice. But afterwards. Truff, I don’t think I can do what he said.” 

She sat in her chair and grabbed his hands to hold. “I’ll help however I can, won’t separate us again.”

“Truff, he wants me to court you.” 

“He said that? Dad as in the king, the same one that threw us apart, said that?” All he could do was nod, he had no clue how to court someone, rules of courtship weren’t taught to him. “Well, what’s the reason you can’t court me?” 

“I don’t want to lose you as a friend.” 

The sentiment was sweet, and Truffle understood the fear, but to her it was still unreasonable. “Beanie, we’ve known each other our entire lives. Yeah we were separated but still we were friends through that. This would just be like normal, we can do everything we’d do as friends, just with like extra hugs and maybe a kiss.” When he still didn’t answer, she frowned. “Please be with me. There’s an asshat who’s the child of someone in my father’s court and I know his parents are trying their hardest for him to move up to royalty. Please Beanie, if for no other reason, we can just be friends, we don’t have to do all the stuff others would.” 

“I liked the kisses though,” he muttered, and she grinned. “Truffle, will you do me the honour of taking you on a date?” 

“Thought you’d never ask.” 

The “date”, as it was called, was just an evening the two would spend together, in the courtyard gardens, surrounded by castle; Emperor wouldn’t allow the two to leave castle grounds, so they had to make do. Still, the dimming sunlight, candlelit strolls along the cobble path that snaked through the vast vegetation, was good enough for the two. While it wasn’t the best time of year to be in the garden, many flowers having already bloomed and wilted, it had a nice feel, the air chilling for the evening to the point of goosebumps from the occasional wind gust. 

Bean found himself holding her hand often as they walked and talked, fingers sometimes dancing with hers playfully, neither giving it any attention. From a few floors up, they were being watched, they figured they would be, it was the castle after all, but they would not have guessed it be Truffle’s parents taking bets. 

“I bet Bean will have them sit to fully confess his feelings,” Rider said, he knew the teen boy better than Emperor. 

The king, however, shook his head. “Truffle will drag him out of the courtyard and talk to him outside the ballroom. Just you wait.” 

The two watched as the teens talked, their conversation too quiet for the parents to actually hear, but Rider began to grin widely when he saw the boy tugging her to sit beside him on the fountain. He didn’t have time to gloat, they were too surprised to see Bean kiss Truffle; the boy never did anything assertive, and had caught Truffle off guard too. 

“Beanie?” He immediately tried to pull away, forever scared he would mess up at any moment. The princess, however, cupped his face and brought him to look at her. “Why are you scared?” 

“Scared?” 

She let go, but this time he stayed. “You’re jumpy... and you kissed me. Not that I’m complaining, I actually enjoyed it, enjoyed you doing something to take lead for once. But there’s something on your mind.” 

Bean nodded, there was something on his mind. “You’re my best friend, you mean the world to me, and I’m so scared of losing you. Truffle, I like you a lot, and I’ll admit kissing you was really nice. I’m just scared if you don’t- if we aren’t on the same page we’ll lose each other.” He leaned against her as she wrapped her arms around him, giving him as best a hug as she could. 

She knew not to squeeze too hard, she’d actually bruised him when they were young kids, and wanted to avoid hurting him at all costs. “Then let’s get on the same page. Beanie, I do really love you. Be it as a best friend or courtship, I love you,” she confessed, and tried her best to kiss his head.

“I love you too, Truffle. Are you sure it’s all okay?” 

“Beanie, we’ve been best friends since we were toddlers. My dad, the king, told you to court me. Didn’t say it was just okay, he told you to. I’ll love you forever and like you for always.” 

Soon after she said the last sentence, she felt Bean shaking ever so slightly. Looking him over, she realized he was crying, and she began to panic, thinking she’d said something wrong. “Beanie? What is it?” 

“You said you loved me,” he whispered, and held onto her, tight. “You love me, Truff. I’m so scared but you love me and I love you.” His reasoning didn’t make much sense, but the adults watching would hazard a guess that this was just overwhelming. “I want this more than anything. But I want my family too, I miss my dads, Truff. I’ve never been away from home like this.” 

All she could do was hold him close as he cried and explained what was wrong for him; the adults were correct, he was overwhelmed by everything. The two watched the teens hold each other close, Truffle occasionally kissing Bean’s head or face, and Emperor felt a sense of pride; he’d put the two of them together, successfully. 

The teens talked into the night, up far longer than they should have been, but were given a pass that night; circumstances had changed, the two needed each other for comfort. They’d agreed that they’d try to ask politely if Bean’s parents could at least come visit while he stayed there, to try and help his feeling of separation. 

Come next day, the two stood anxiously outside the king’s office, trying to figure out exactly what to say. As usual, the princess got impatient, and simply walked in, dragging Bean behind her. “Dad, we need to talk,” she stated loudly, Bean trying to hide behind her. All she got from her father was an unimpressed look, but she continued on after no verbal objections. “You’re going to let Beanie’s parents come back.” 

“And what gives you the impression I would do that?” 

“He’s sad. If you don’t, I’m running away with him back to his family.”

Emperor massaged his temple in annoyance. “How are you so sure you could run away? I know each and every secret passage this castle has, probably ones you’ve yet to find.”

“I’ll walk out the front gates if I have to, take my horse and we’ll ride until we reach his family.” 

It was clear he wouldn’t be getting anywhere with Truffle, the girl too stubborn to listen. “Have you considered what Bean might think and want?”

“Dad, he’s sad, he wants his family and he wants me and I want him to be happy.” 

“Truffle, quiet,” Emperor said, a warning look cast her direction. “Now, I want him to tell me, not you.” 

Bean was put on the spotlight, a place he wasn’t fond of; the last thing he wanted to do was upset Truffle, but the king’s word was law, it would do him no service to deceive him in any way. “I do miss my dads a lot, that is true.” Truffle adopted a proud look on her face, she knew him well. “But running away would cause more problems than it would fix.” 

The girl spun to look at him, a mixture of confusion and hurt blending. “Beanie?”

“I want to, more than anything. It would be so simple to just run away back home with you. But Truff, that would only raise tensions between my parents and yours. If we ran away, my dads would get blamed no doubt, or worse, I could be blamed.” 

Emperor was impressed, at least one of the pair had their head screwed on properly. “Truffle, you think of the present, what can be done right this instant, but never the future. It’s irresponsible.” There was a long sigh; he knew it was difficult for her to learn that, throughout her life both himself and Rider had been busy. They made time for her, but any lessons she’d learned had been taught by governess’, scholars, and other important figures. 

She had no concept of consequences in a role as big as hers, to one day be ruler and have the entire kingdom rest in her shoulders. At least she had Bean, who seemed to have learned that from a young age, actions you did had to be thought out. 

“I want Beanie happy now, though...” she muttered to herself, shoulders dropping slightly. 

“Truff, us running away won’t do that.” 

Silence settled in the office, as much as Bean hated to not agree with Truffle, he didn’t want to cause trouble. The girl did not take it well, the princess soon leaving after no one spoke, Bean only looking down as she passed, disappointed in himself. 

Emperor could see it, plain as day, the boy was hurt. “I for one back up your decision, I found it wise.”

“I only wanted to ask if you’d permit my parents to occasionally visit here, to make the separation less. Please, your majesty, I only wish them a small visit.”

“If, and it’s a big if, I say yes, what do you intend to do while staying here?”

Bean blanked, he knew he’d be learning, but what he did not know. Instead, he decided to be honest yet again. “I don’t know fully. I intend to court Truff...le, per your strong recommendation and her strong request. I originally thought I’d be learning something here I could not otherwise have learned at home, though I can’t imagine what.”

“Rider will tutor you, you are, after all, going to be in a similar position to him. I’ll allow your parents visitation time, one week out of each month. If you slack in your studies, however, there will be a price to pay”

Bean beamed at the king, he’d get to see his dads and stay with Truffle. “Yes, sir. Thank you, your majesty.”


End file.
